Mio and Juritsu
by MyRoadOfBlood
Summary: YURI. MioxRitsu! - When what was supposed to be the best party ever for the graduating students turns ugly, Ritsu Tainaka finds herself fighting against everything that is right to be with that one girl. Romeo and Juliet structured fic.
1. Garasu no Namida Introduction

**Mio x Ritsu**

'**Mio and Juritsu**

**A/N; **_It's been a while since I've wrote a fan fiction, and since I became inactive on my old account, I have to write new things for this one. _

_This fic is quite closely based along the story-line of Romeo and Juliet, and will be quite a serious, but sweet fan fiction. _

_I will have to warn though, there will be; Homophobia, girl on girl sex scenes (maybe, more-likely to be just smut), swearing, violence._

_I wrote this because I want to throw a slight realism about how hard some people have it when they come out as being a lesbian, and bring a slight realism to it. (Although I myself, were accepted the second time I came out)._

_Don't tell me that_

_We'll never be together_

_Chapter 1 – Garasu no Namida_

"Are you KIDDING me?" Ritsu almost growled the words as she slammed her fists down on the table in the club room, "Why would _I _go to prom?"

Mio smacked the drummer over the head with her fist, and as Ritsu flopped dramatically back into her seat, she at the brunette who was talking so loudly, "Because all students have been asked to attend in senior year and second year, to set a good example for the upcoming junior's. Despite that, you're also allowed to invite people from other schools." Mio smiled, although her cheeks were slightly flushed at the idea of people so formally dressed; drinking, laughing, greeting people they had never met before.

"I'm NOT going to ask some guy to dance with me, Mio!" She was still talking loudly, arms crossing in a childish huff.

"Mou~ Ricchan is just too shy to ask someone!" Yui grinned, earning a sigh from Azusa, who was quite defiant herself about the idea of prom, but she kept it in her own head. She wasn't sure she wanted to dance with a boy she would only just meet then, because it wouldn't mean anything.

Mugi looked all too happy with the idea, she looked much more confident than Mio as well. This being because she already was good at meeting people, and didn't mind it at all, coming from a rich family meant she went to a lot of dances, and many more formal than prom.

"We've also been asked to perform, senpai!" Azusa finally picked out something she could say to bring a more formal air back to this conversation. It was a good job Sawako wasn't in the club room at this time, or she would be moping about not seeing her boyfriend.

"Azusa's right, you'll have to go either way, Ritsu. We need you on drums, obviously." Mio frowned, although a small blush tinted her cheeks at the thought of Ritsu dressing formal. For some reason though, it was hard to see the drummer wearing a dress.

"I know what you're thinking, Mio." Ritsu grumbled, her chin resting on her hand. Mio could tell by the brunette's expression she had pretty much read her mind, which made her blush more.

"So what are we going to perform for prom, anyway?" Yui asked, obliviously cutting the awkward air in the room in half.

"I'm working on something new, and sheet music wise, it won't be much of a difference to what we already know, a lot of it is just repeated notes, and it's the lyrics that I was focusing on mainly." Mio smiled, she definitely had something planned for the winter prom, but she wasn't sure it would go down well.

No, she was certain it wouldn't go down well.

And for once in her life, Mio would be doing something that would get her into trouble.

_a_

_a_

_a_

Ritsu sighed as she lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

She couldn't possibly go to prom, she couldn't possibly wear a dress, and she didn't have enough confidence in her to feel pretty enough standing next to the other's. She sighed, she had to go for the sake of the band, but she needed, at the very least, a compromise.

She flipped open her phone, slowly tapping on the buttons, "What're you wearing?" She added Mio, Mugi, Azusa, and Yui onto the 'send to:' page, and sent them the entire message at the same time, saving the inconvenience of typing it out over and over again.

She twirled her drum sticks around her fingers as she waited patiently for the phone next to her to vibrate with replies, and after minutes that seemed painful hours, her phone vibrated. She flipped it open eagerly.

'Something elegant and black, I hope. From: Mio Akiyama'

'I was thinking of a cream dress, with maybe some silk gloves...and a scarf? From: Mugi Kotobuki'

'I don't know, senpai, sorry! From: Azu-nyan Nakano'

'Ui is picking something for me as a surprise! From: Yui Hirasawa'

Ritsu groaned loudly, to hell would she let her mother pick either, she had to figure something out.

"Hey, neechan! Can I come in?"

Chime bells rung inside the brunette's head as she opened her bedroom door for Satoshi, her brother, to enter.

"Satoshi! Can we go suit shopping together?"

Satoshi looked a little shocked at his older sister's question, he knew that she liked to be a tom-boy, but he thought this was going to be the moment she would, for once, dress like a real woman. He sighed, it was meant to be the moment that he asked her if his older friend could accompany her to the prom. Obviously that was impossible now. The guy was a jerk anyway, but at least it got Satoshi out of getting beaten up. Nawakara would definitely not want to take a girl to prom looking like a guy anyway.

"U-umm, but mom-" Satoshi tried to reply, but Ritsu cut him off.

"So what about her! She'll get over it eventually!" His sister looked so enthusiastic that he gave up before he even tried, knowing it was hopeless to try and convince Ritsu NOT to do something if she really wanted to do it.

"O-okay, but can it be on a weekend? Mom has made me crunch down my free-time for the upcoming exams next year."

"That's fine, that's fine." Ritsu waved her hand to exercise her words.

"Neechan? The thing I wanted to talk to you about...?"

"Ah! Yeah! I'm sorry, I got so caught up thinking about prom that I totally forgot, c'mon, tell me." Ritsu grinned boyishly as she opened the tin of chocolates next to her bed, putting it between them. Satoshi had that uneasy look in his eyes that always meant he was dragged into trouble, and chocolate was always something that cheered her younger brother up.

Satoshi took a chocolate absent-mindedly, holding it to his mouth as he spoke.

"Nawakara Hitori, one of the upper-class men in my school has been asking about you again, and he's threatened to beat me up at prom if I don't convince you to go with him." Satoshi looked unbelievably apologetic, and Ritsu was sick of the both of them having to do this guy's bidding.

When she had just entered high school, she was forced by the same guy to lose her first kiss to him, just so he could boast about taking a girl's first kiss, and he said that if she didn't do it, he would get his dad to beat up her mother.

A part of her knew that she couldn't really deny this request, she would just have to make sure they both kept how she would look on the day a secret, but it also meant that now Ritsu was going to lose the prom experience to a complete jerk.

"Go along with it, and tell him that I'll go with him. And what he does on the day is what he does, okay?" Ritsu smiled warmly, even if inside her stomach was turning with anger and worry. They were older now, teenager's that did stupid teenager stuff, things that Ritsu felt she was too innocent to think about, and things that wouldn't stop tearing at her brain.

Little did she know that as she hugged her brother and said goodnight, allowing him to leave the room, that she would be faced with more than just that worry.

_a_

_a_

_a_

Mio growled at herself, throwing another ball of crumpled up paper into the small bin next to her, this was the 5th ball now, and she was getting nowhere with these lyrics.

On any other day, she would have changed the background story of the song around, or asked someone else to help her. But she wanted to do this one alone, and it was proving to get the better of her sanity already.

She tapped the pen against the side of the wooden desk, and began to write out the lyrics again, when a small knock was heard on her bedroom door.

"Who is it?" Mio asked, raising her voice a little so she could be heard through the wood.

"I-It's me, senpai." Azusa called back, obviously hesitating about having to raise her voice.

"Come in." Mio shoved the paper under a few text books as she opened the door for Azusa, inviting the smaller girl into her room. The lyrics weren't ready, just yet.

But obviously, Azusa was too smart to be blown off.

"Senpai, why are you acting so protective over this song?" Azusa questioned as she slowly sat down on Mio's bed.

"Well, I want them to be special, so I want to write them myself, and want them to have the surprise that they'll hold if they're kept a secret, you know?" Mio smiled, even though she knew deep inside she was being selfish.

"Are you sure that it's okay to do that?" Azusa didn't have to say it, Mio knew that by the look she was given, Azusa was concerned about the other band members arguing over the song's meaning. Thinking that Mio was going to stray from them.

She figured it out before anyone got to tell her.

Everyone thought this song was for a boy at prom.

Her heart clenched, and guilt paled her face, making her want to drop to her knee's and beg forgiveness from her band mates.

She was hiding something from them, something that was locked away, deep, deep inside of her own subconscious; the only other place it was noted was in a diary she kept under her mattress, and also under lock and key.

Azusa looked a little shocked at the paling of her senpai's face, and immediately stuttered an apology, before, with a reddened face, she turned back to herself.

"You know senpai, if this is about a boy, you can talk to any of us about it, you don't need to keep it a secret, at least then we'll be able to support you." Azusa smiled softly, feeling a little better when the pain in Mio's expression lessened.

"Thank you...But you see, it's not really like that, it's about..."

You stupid idiot.

You stupid idiot with your brunette hair.

And your captivating amber eyes.

_a_

_a_

_a_

"Do you know that the Hitori household will be holding this party?" A tall but lean boy questioned as Mugi sat on the wall outside of the corner store, sipping at a carton of lemon tea. She enjoyed un-posh things so much. But this statement shocked her.

"Nawakara-kun's parents?" She questioned, taking another sip of her straw. The boy sitting with her, who also came from a rich family was telling her the latest gossip. He was a piano player, with short black cropped hair, and a pair of silver, square-shaped glasses that sat on the end of his nose. He looked posh, but he didn't act it. His name was Chika Amano.

"Yeah. But I heard more than that, you see..." He leant over to whisper in the blonde's hair, and she felt her stomach tighten at his words.

It was that day that Tsumugi Kotobuki had regretted going for her Thursday walk with Amano.

"You see, Kotobuki-san, I heard Nawakara say that he was looking for a girl who was tall and womanly, slate grey eyes, formal hair cut. I thought this all sounded too much of a norm here but..." His eyes narrowed from behind his glasses, "He also said that she was the bassist of 'Houkago Tea Time.'"

"But why is he after her?" Mugi asked shock obviously immanent in her voice.

"Because he says that she'll 'get in his way.' I don't know what he meant by it," Chika leant back against the wall, resting one foot on the bricks, as his breath made a small cloud in the cold air, "But you can bet anything to do with Nawakara is trouble...And more than just a average street fight.

zZz

TO BE CONTINUED!

A/N;; So you're probably thinking. Scene changes are marked now, sorry for the inconveniance 31/1/11

Well the thing about that is, I was writing this chapter in various perspectives, some I've left out for the next chapter. And obviously to those wondering where their Romeo and Juliet story is, basically, it'll be unfolded through the next few chapters, this being an introduction means I had to make a build up. Review, nice things ;]

And to add, this is going to be a LONG fic, so expect lots of chapters and lots of Mitsu. ;]


	2. Soaked In Sin

**Mio x Ritsu**

'**Mio and Juritsu**

_A/N: Wow these reviews have really blown my mind! There may be a short bunch but thank you so much for your kind words. I was really nervous about uploading to the Mitsu community as I felt a bit of an amateur, but now I will definitely try my hardest. From now on (since this fic will be long) I'm going to post the artist/song name's that inspire me to write throughout each chapter, so check them out! They might help you come up with your own story too!_

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

**_So I can feel you here with me (tear the flesh)_**

**_So I can feel you here with me (break the skin)_**

**_So I can feel you near me (tear the flesh)_**

**_So I'll make sure you hear me-!_**

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

**Chapter 2 – Soaked in Sin **

"Satoshi! What about this one?" Ritsu questioned, tugging at the collar of a white suit jacket with a 'penguin tail.' She grinned in amusement.

The shop clerk looked as if he wanted to say something, but he just stared at Satoshi expectantly instead. Satoshi gave him an apologetic glance, and then smiled at his older sister.

"That looks great, neechan! Although..." Satoshi couldn't think of what it was that seemed so out of place. He wandered over to Ritsu, placing his hands slowly on her yellow hair band, against a defiant Ritsu, he pulled it out of her hair, grinning when her bangs fell onto her face, and her cheeks flushed a little.

This was Ritsu's ONLY weakness when it came to her appearance. "O-Oi, gimme that back!" She whined, tackling Satoshi, who laughed loudly and stumbled back a little, gripping his own black tuxedo jacket tightly so he didn't drop it.

"Excuse me, you two, you've been in this store three hours now, do you think you're ready to pay?" The shop clerk smiled warmly, pearly white teeth against his sun-tanned skin. Ritsu was sure he was acquainted with their teacher Sawako.

"Ah, yeah, sorry about that..." Ritsu smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck with her free hand as she picked up the white dress pants to match the jacket she had chosen. Next to where she had sat it was a black bow-tie, and a white long-sleeved high-collar shirt. Satoshi picked up his own black tuxedo set with a red bow tie, and they placed them in a heap at the counter, both of them looking as equally un-mature as the other with childish grins on their faces at their own personal thoughts of their friend's reactions.

When they had finished paying the shop clerk quite an insanely high amount of yen just to buy their one night outfits, they both headed out of the store with an easy-going attitude.

"You know, Mom is going to kill you." Satoshi pointed out as they bought two strawberry milkshakes from a man at a stall on their way back home, sipping quietly through their straws. When Satoshi glanced at his sister he noticed she was deep in thought again. The afternoon was drawing on though, so he put it down to exhaustion.

"Things were never simple, were they?" Ritsu looked at Satoshi, and the expression in her eyes told him they were going to talk about _that_ again.

About their Father, about Nawakara, and about the Akiyama's.

"None of those things were your fault, neechan." Satoshi insisted, suddenly feeling put off his milkshake, lowering it from his mouth as they continued the walk home.

"I just wish I could fix everything where it died off." Ritsu fixed her hair band back into her hair.

Satoshi visibly paused; opening is mouth slowly before closing it again when he couldn't think of anything else to say.

Ritsu swung her arm around his shoulders, grinning at him enthusiastically, acting as if she wasn't just about to break down, "Everything will be alright, you'll see!" She reassured him, as they turned the corner to their house.

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

**_My soul is awry, without asking why,_**

**_I said, "te amo, wish somebody'd tell me what she said."_**

**_Don't it mean "I love you?" _**

**_Think it means "I love you."_**

**_Don't it mean "I love you?"_**

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

"Amazing! This store has so many beautiful dresses..." Azusa stared around in awe, her mouth slightly agape. They had just entered their third dress boutique. The evening was drawing on but the air was a clinging warmth as sunset bore into the sky. Those chilled evenings were the best.

As they wandered to their first rack of dresses, Mio decided that it might be nice to have a conversation about something else that had been dawning on her mind for a while now.

"Hey, Azusa..." She started, the young rhythm guitarist turned her head to look at the bass guitarist, causing said bassist to smile nervously, "What do you think about love?"

Azusa inwardly sighed, this was probably the millionth time her and the bassist had spoken about what seemed to be a confession racked in riddles, but Azusa inwardly reassured herself the confession wasn't towards her.

"Senpai, love is something everyone will experience...If you don't mind me asking, why are you talking about it as if it's a fantasy world?" Azusa had referred to previous conversations she had with Mio, the raven-haired girl continuously asked her what love felt like, what it was all about, what to do if you were in love, all sorts of things. She just wondered why it was _her_ that Mio asked. Azusa was the youngest after all.

"But not all love _is _accepted, is it?" Mio questioned, turning her attention to the top end of the same rack Azusa was looking through, glancing at dresses of all sorts of designs and colours, but nothing _eye-catching, _nothing saying "_Hey, look at me Ritsu!" _

"Are you trying to say..." Azusa glanced about before lowering her voice as a group of girls with faces caked in make-up had moved close by, looking at dresses that didn't even seem their size, gossiping and snickering about other people around the store. The store itself was almost empty, but the customers in it almost all wore school uniforms of different styles and colours– and would be attending the prom THEY would be performing at. She realised she had spaced out.

"Are you trying to say...Gay relationships, senpai?" Azusa looked at her with a thoughtful expression, Mio looked uneasy as Azusa spoke the word 'gay', but she nodded in confirmation.

"I just wonder...Why is it so wrong, Azusa?"

Mio looked utterly sympathetic; Azusa was visibly shocked at the sad-looking expression on the bass guitarist's face. But if it was one thing she learnt in the time she had spent with Ho-Kago Tea Time, it was that Mio hated to see people in distress.

"It's just like what they say about people that dress differently, Mio-senpai, it's _different, _so people have trouble accepting it." Azusa's parents were pretty open-minded easygoing people, which made Azusa have to be responsible quite a lot for them, and the house. But when it came to the bond they shared – it was pretty strong, even to the point her parents had questioned her sexuality numerously when Yui Hirasawa would visit, barely letting go of Azusa in front of her parents –all because of that easygoing atmosphere.

They had talked for hours about it after Yui had left that one night; her parents were constantly away on work trips and couple holidays, so the time they spent together was mainly talking. And that they did, telling her all about acceptance, denial, being 'in the closet.' The works.

"But why? Why does it have to be so different?"

Parents abandoning their children, people being killed; abused; bullied; tormented; beaten up, just because of that one word.

_Gay._

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

_**I will escape you and I'll**_

_**I'll push you closer to the ground  
Cause you're the one that's going down**_

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

"I _can't believe this!_ How can you possibly make yourself look like a proud young woman wearing THAT?" Ritsu's mother bellowed before the drummer could even finish closing the front door behind her as she entered the house.

She had half expected this to happen, and had told Satoshi to go to his room and stay out of the way – and her younger brother – despite how much he wanted to stand up for his older sister – did as he was told, making Ritsu feel more alone, but made her also believe it would save the last relationship of her family members.

"I can't wear a dress, mom-" Ritsu was cut off by a glass smashing, and she ducked to escape the impact of the shower of some of the shards, alarm bells ringing, she wasn't sure how far her mother would go.

"It's that Akiyama girl isn't it? You've been so close for so long, should off assumed you were like...Like..._that!"_ Ritsu's mother looked furious at this point, glaring at Ritsu as if she was the filth of the Earth.

"It's got nothing to do with Mio! I just don't feel comfortable-"Another glass smashed and Ritsu felt her calm demeanour slowly dying, she was already writing a letter of apology in her head to Satoshi.

"I KNOW you, Ritsu Tainaka! I brought you into this world, and by God sometimes I wish I could take you out of it! You're constantly in trouble! Slacking off! Spending a pathetic amount of time with your so called 'band mates'!"

"You know NOTHING about me! You probably don't even know half as much as you think you do about Satoshi either! Ever since Dad left us...Ever since Dad left us, you've turned into him!"

She saw the flash of pain cross her mother's dark eyes, but she had no time for sympathy. She was the happy face of the Light Music Club, the always positive one, the joker. But at home things were different – and Mio was the only one that knew about her Mother and Father. But even Mio still didn't know _everything._

Nawakara was a secret that Satoshi and Ritsu swore that they would not break unless it was absolutely necessary, it was coated in danger, and she was so close to finally getting it to end...

"Maybe you should just get out, you...you..."

Now it was Ritsu's turn to cut her off.

"I know what you're going to say, and its fine. I'll pack my bag now and be out by midnight." She replied calmer than she had expected it to be, she was even sure her Mother looked shocked for a second, but she merely nodded and growled a 'good,' before storming out of the room and into the living room instead.

Ritsu didn't follow her, she picked up the suit from the kitchen table, stuffing it back into the bag she had gotten when she purchased it, not ignoring the fact it now stunk of vodka and probably had a few glass shards stuck in the material – she could deal with that later. The way things were looking, she wouldn't even get to prom anyway.

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

**_These situations are elevating__  
__Where dreams are lost all hope is gone__  
__We can't go on living like this__  
__Manipulated by information__  
__All right is wrong all wrong is right_**

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

Ritsu had spent all of her time packing talking to her brother for what would be their final time to have a conversation in the same household.

Satoshi promised he would keep in contact with her, and stay out of trouble so he could avoid their mother, and Ritsu constantly apologized for having to leave him with her, to which he shook it off and said it wasn't her fault.

But she wasn't too worried – Satoshi was a good kid with excellent grades and he behaved well all the time – He was the complete opposite of his older sister, but they still got along extremely well.

As she zipped up her second duffle bag, slung her bag-pack onto her back, and picked up another stuffed full duffle bag, she smiled at him apologetically.

She was still wearing her school uniform, since it was a Friday night, and they had went shopping straight from school. She knew if she managed to find somewhere to stay that she would need it – and it kept fond memories of what would be known in no matter of time as the 'easygoing days.'

She smiled weakly when she saw the tips of her drum sticks sticking out of one of the duffle bags, and thanked Satoshi as he held the bedroom door open for her.

She took one last glance around her room – that had been all torn apart in the quest to get her most valuable possessions, and after taking in a deep breath, she jogged down the stairs.

He followed her, and as she opened the front door, she paused.

No goodbye from her Mother. She mentally shrugged and turned to Satoshi as she stood at the doorstep.

"Please, come back and visit once everything calms down, okay?" Satoshi asked, a begging tone in his voice as he hugged his sister tightly.

"As long as you promise to take care of yourself, and not let her push you around." Ritsu smiled weakly, hugging him back the best she could under all of the bags, he nodded, shaking in her arms. She realized he was crying.

"I _promise, _I'll come back."

"Please don't blame Mio for the battles between our families."

"I promise, I won't."

She knew that wasn't the only thing – when the families had clashed over many things Ritsu was told she was too young to understand.

Her mother shouldn't of tried the affair with Mio's father, after all.

So far Ritsu had tried calling all of the band members, and none of them were answering their phones.

She was starting to panic and get weary as the night sky absorbed the sunset and turned Ritsu's senses _themselves_ into darkness. She was frightened to walk the streets carrying possessions that could possibly be worth money, she didn't want to lose them after all that had already happened.

That's when she walked past the familiar cut next to the candy store, that if you walked through, lead straight to Mio's house as soon as you turned left. It was risky because anyone could be kicking about, but it was two minutes or so away, and Ritsu was feeling a sudden rush of exhilaration.

Mio hadn't answered her phone, but they were childhood best friends, and maybe, just maybe, her parents would be able to treat her as being innocent, even after the events of the past few years. After all, she had no idea what her Mother was trying to do, so it wasn't her fault.

Ritsu Tainaka was oblivious to selfish-ness in the world.

She slipped into the ally-way, hurrying up her pace, and a hand slammed down on her shoulder. The figure stood in the shadows, but Ritsu instantly dropped her bags when he spoke.

"So I finally get to see you face to face after so long, Tainaka-chan."

Nawakara.

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

**_If I could make this time__  
__If I could make this time__  
__If I could make this time__  
__If I could make this time rewind__  
__I'd make it_**

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

"Ah yeah, that's no problem Ui! I'll bring it over later." There was a pause as the twin-tailed girl nodded her head, despite the fact the brunette wouldn't be able to see the gesture, "It's no problem, honestly."

"_Thank you so much Azusa-chan! I'll make some tea for when you get here, bye!" _ With that, the call ended before Azusa could reply, she smiled to herself and slipped her phone back into her jacket pocket. She might as well pick up some fresh fruit while her and Mio were in town.

"Are you feeling better now, Mio-senpai?" Azusa smiled towards the bassist, who smiled back – a genuinely warm way. Showing the young rhythm guitarist that she was indeed, feeling much better.

They had finally managed to buy dresses that matched their taste, but when they had left the store, Ui Hirasawa had called asking Azusa to pick some fresh fruit up on their way home. Azusa found no reason to decline.

As they walked slowly in the direction of the fruit and vegetable store on the street corner, Mio still kept her happy tone.

"It's been a great day, hasn't it?"

**_xxx~Between the events~xxx_**

"G-Get off me!" Ritsu shouted, pushing at broad shoulders as she heard her drum sticks roll across the pavement that her feet were barely touching now – his fingers were curled around the collar of her shirt, and he was holding her up, his eyes captivating her with a look of insanity.

"I _will_ make you mine!" He hissed.

She was starting to choke, panicking and struggling.

"I _don't_ want you! I don't want _anything_ to do with you!" Her voice raised an octave and she spluttered at how difficult it was getting to breathe – his thumb was pressing harder and harder against her throat.

"You _know _you love me!"

Still spluttering, she thrashed her legs out, managing to hit him in his most vital area – he fell to the ground, and she did with him, choking as she hit the pavement hard, rubbing her throat, she tried to pull herself to her feet.

He grabbed her ankle with one hand, pulling her down again, she fell on him, but managed to swing her leg down, kneeing him hard in the stomach.

Ritsu knew more about this boy than anyone – he was nothing without his gang behind him, he was the weakest and scrawniest. The only thing he had over the others was his sick mind and twisted orders, and drumming, alongside sport, made her stronger than normal girls.

His hands reached out and she placed her own on his biceps, her arms shaking with the force she used, she pinned his arms down to the ground.

Blood dripped down her forehead and soaked down her eye – making it impossible to see for her left side. He _had_ managed to catch her off guard with a few punches and kicks at the start of their brawl, _before _he pinned her up.

But Satoshi could tell anyone, Ritsu always exploded when she was held back.

"I won't EVER love you because you're _sick!"_ She bellowed, pushing his arms back down when he tried to wriggle out from under her.

"No, I know why you won't! It's because you're batting for the other team, ehhh Tainaka? We all know it!"

She was so shocked by the accusation that she wasn't prepared at all for what came next.

His face connected with hers, and in the pain of feeling like someone had smashed a hammer into her skull, she cried out, choking herself with the blood that came with his attack.

Everything faded to darkness.

"So you're the infamous Ritsu Tainaka?"

Ritsu stirred, wriggling weakly in the warmth engulfing her, relaxing her. Pain throbbed from all corners and she didn't recognise the voice. She panicked, her right eye snapping open when the left could not follow. It felt stuck.

She met the soft expression of a dark haired boy wearing silver glasses, he seemed to be sweating slightly, she looked around and noticed her bags on his shoulders. She felt terrible.

"Who ...are you?" She questioned.

"My name is Chika Amano...Mugi talks about you a lot." He smiled softly, the same smile she had seen so many times on the features of the blonde girl he spoke about.

"Where are you taking me?" Ritsu's head pounded, she let it drop back against his shoulder.

"Well," He smiled a little sheepishly now, "Mugi told me that she had called your house to ask if you wanted to borrow some new cymbals for your performance. Your brother answered and told her that you had left home, and were probably heading to Mio's.. .So I asked for directions there, and when I called, they said you weren't there. I decided to look around and well...The rest is chance. You see, Nawakara's gang have been muttering on the corners about you, saying that they're looking for you. I guess when I heard it, and the Akiyama's told me you weren't there, I put two and two together and considered he had you. It's a shame I was right. "

"Why won't he leave me alone?" She frowned, but her one open eye now slipped shut.

"I don't know. When I was standing at the door step...I heard shouting. And it sounded like Nawakara...You see..."

She heard the uneasy tone in his voice.

"Where did he go?" She asked, her own voice cracking in anger.

"He was getting up to leave when I got the ally-way, I tried to stop him but he told me he had other plans, and well...I noticed the state you were in. I'm sorry, I thought it was more important to get you to safety."

"...Thank you." She muttered, sincerely, thankful he wasn't asking questions about why Nawakara had his sights so eagerly set on her.

As Chika slipped through the gate to the Akiyama household, he slowly placed Ritsu on her feet.

"I'm sorry but I can't stay with you, there's something I have to do." He smiled and placed her bags down, as he stood straight once more, he turned on his heel and swiftly walked out of the garden, so quickly that Ritsu didn't get time to say goodbye.

She stared at herself in the reflection of the front door's glass. She surely was a mess, bloody and battered.

The brunette decided to take her hair band off, pushing her bangs over her left eye – wincing slightly at the pressure on her new wounds- but it covered the bad sight.

Most of her pain was coming from under her uniform – she would check it later though, the awkward-ness with their families was bad enough, she couldn't allow herself to explain what was going on to the Akiyama's, they would probably stop Mio seeing her altogether.

She pulled up the hood of her jacket and kept her head slightly bowed, holding her bags in front of her knee's.

She knocked.

After a few moments of silence, the door slowly opened.

"Tainaka?" Mio's father questioned, bending down slightly to try and see her face, Ritsu ducked her head.

"I'm sorry...I...I've had an argument with my mom, and I got mugged on the way here, please, can I come inside?" At least she wasn't completely lying.

"Mio is out with the Nakano girl right now, but of course you can," He smiled at her, and stepped aside to let her in.

Ritsu slowly walked inside, slipping her shoes off, "I'm sure that you might want to have some time alone to calm down, so you can wait in Mio's room if you like, I'll make sure to tell her you're here as soon as she gets back. She won't be long."

All the brunette could do was nod, and slowly, limp up the stairs to Mio's room.

Her bags slipped off her arms and she collapsed in a heap on the bedroom floor, the impact making her wounds pour of blood all over again.

She only now took into consideration the wire that had been wrapped around Nawakara's knuckles in their fight.

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

**_The day the news came, my best friend died_**

**_My knees went weak, and you saw me cry_**

**_Say I'm still the soldier in your eyes_**

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

"Ritsu! Ritsu! Please...Please, wake up!"

Panic.

Fear and panic engulfed words that swung around the brunette's head.

This was the way she thought she would end up. Spending so much time protecting Mio – the thing she was most terrified of was watching the raven-haired girl protect _her._

It made her body finally react, finally fight, finally not give in. She couldn't, she had to still protect her best friend. She willed up all the strength she had, and forced her right eye to open.

The world spun for a few moments, mixed faces and colours, and when her eye finally fixated, she smiled weakly.

"Can you keep the noise down? My head hurts..."

"Y-You...Idiot!" Mio cried, Ritsu moaned when the bassist's voice rose.

"Mioooo!" She whimpered, making sure to slowly pull herself up, she propped her back against the head board of Mio's bed and glanced down.

She wasn't in her uniform anymore, instead she was wearing a loose tank-top and some small shorts. Bruises covered her legs, a few plasters that were visibly absorbing a lot of blood were stuck on her legs by the dozen, and her left wrist was bandaged. She tried to open her eye but it stung severely, she winced.

"So what's the damage, doc?" Ritsu put on her best brave face.

"W-Well...When I called the doctor over he said your right wrist is sprained, your legs – thankfully – are just cut and bruised, no major damage. As for your face..." Mio visibly paled, "Your left eye-lid has split, and there's a pretty deep gash in your forehead, and they said you were extremely close to a broken nose. Apparently you'll heal up, it's just gonna take time."

Ritsu looked nervous all of a sudden, a horrible feeling of sickness pooling into her stomach.

"I want to talk to you about Nawakara."

Mio's arms shakily wrapped around Ritsu's shoulders. Ritsu struggled to inhale her scent through the pain that seared when she tried to breathe through her nose. Her un-damaged arm reached up to Mio's head, her fingers lacing into the silky black locks as she allowed herself to give Mio a small kiss on the cheek.

"Are you taking anyone to the prom, Ritsu?"

"Mio I don't think now is a good-"

"Will you go with me?"

Ritsu's eye widened.

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz****zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

_END_

_A/N: Sorry if there's anything that sounds sketchy and dragged on, there's a lot I didn't manage to put in this chapter because I felt it seemed extremely lengthy. I'm a day over my deadline that I set for this chapter, but believe me it's been hard. Multi-tasking between revision and making cosplay is certainly a task. And I also apologise that there is no visible Mitsu yet, please bide your time, I promise to make it worthwhile!_

_I might off made mistakes here and there, but I'm utterly exhausted and my head is killing me. Anyway, here's the song list, in order of the lyrics appearing._

_Bang – Armchair Cynics_

_Te Amo – Rihanna_

_Stronger – Trust Company_

_Die Tomorrow – Coldrain (One of my favourite bands 3)_

_8AM – Coldrain_

_I'm Yours – The Script_

_SPECIAL: I didn't put any of the song lyrics for this in the fic, but it is relative: Face Down – Red Jumpsuit Apparatus_


	3. Melt Your Heart

**Mio x Ritsu**

'**Mio and Juritsu**

_A/N; It might seem I'm posting this pretty late, but I'm working on a few things for Valentine's Day, so it's just been a matter of how busy I've been. I do apologise for random time gaps between chapters, but they will always at the latest be under 2 weeks long._

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

_**My lonely girl My lonely girl  
My lovely girl My lovely girl**_

_**I don't mind a little something extra  
(no no)**_

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

**Chapter 3 – Melt Your Heart**

"I just can't imagine someone trying a mugging in this town, there's never much crime here." Azusa mumbled into the receiver, looking around the houses as she headed back to Mio's house. She had left to collect some more clean clothes and other items for her stay at Mio's. She had decided to help the raven-haired girl out with looking after Ritsu until the wounds didn't look as bad, and Mio could handle it.

"There is _some _crime you know." Ui answered hesitantly, Azusa bit her lip, feeling a bit paranoid now.

"What crime? I've never heard anyone talk about any crime." She lowered her voice, feeling anyone could hear her.

"But my onee-chan says she heard some boys talking while she was out at the candy store about looking for a dark haired girl."

"What? There's a lot of dark haired girls – maybe they're just looking for a date." Azusa deadpanned.

"I don't know, they said _a _dark haired girl –as if they were looking for someone particular, right?"

"Well when you put it like that..."

Suddenly her phone let off a few awkward beeping noises, and fell silent. For a few moments she felt stupidly paranoid – that was the few moments before she pulled the cell phone away from her ear and realised that the battery had just went flat.

She walked up to the Akiyama household's front door with a heavy sigh.

AaAaAaAa

She heard no noise when she entered the house, and flicked on the light for the kitchen, glancing around cautiously. She noticed a note on the kitchen table, and walked over slowly, dropping her bags next to the staircase.

"_Dearest Daughter, we're so sorry to have to leave you on such short notice, but the past two days you have been so caught up in looking after your friend that we just couldn't interrupt you and make you feel more under pressure. We're away on a twelve week business trip to Los Angeles, America. We've left money that should get you by for our time gone in the usual place, and have stocked back up on food for you, please take care. We love you."_

Azusa felt a pang of guilt for looking at Mio's letter, but shoved the letter into her jeans pocket, making a mental note to tell Mio about it when she got the opportunity. Things were pretty hectic when you were looking after a damaged Ritsu.

As she walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs, she slowly put her hand on Mio's bedroom door. She couldn't hear anyone noise, so figured Ritsu was sleeping and Mio was either sleeping too, or studying. She pushed the door open.

"Sen...pai...?" She found herself staring at the pair. Mio was sprawled in an awkward position, her head on Ritsu's chest, and the brunette had her un-damaged hand on the raven haired girl's head. They were both fast asleep. Ritsu still looked so different with her hair down – eyepatch on her left eye, her limp right arm with a bandage wrapped around it – covered in cuts and bruises and plasters. She looked so much more masculine...Azusa flushed a little. She wasn't meant to think that.

"Maybe I should go prepare some tea for when they wake up..." She mumbled to herself under her breath, distracting any odd thoughts that came into her mind. She turned, and headed back down the stairs again, completely unsure of what to think about it. They were friends but...Something about Mio's face seemed so content with that position.

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

_**So, don't hide so timidly**__**  
**__**I don't mind you being casual**__**  
**__**(no yes)**__**  
**__**I kept watching out for you**_

**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**

"Nnnn..." Ritsu mewled as she awoke, slowly opening her right eye as her brain came to terms that it couldn't do the same with the left. She felt slightly dazed and confused, her head pounded and she could feel a heavy weight on her chest. She blinked, tilting her head down to have a look. A black clump of hair met her view, and a nervous smile tugged at her lips. One of those smiles of embarrassment that you can't help but spread across your face with flushed cheeks.

"_Will you go with me?" Mio had asked, her cheeks ablaze with a beet-red colour that in any other circumstance Ritsu would of made fun of and taunted the bassist. But under this circumstance, all she could do was stare in shock. _

"_Why are you asking me, Mio-chuan~?" She asked with a fake teasing voice, she found herself thinking in too deep about Mio's question._

"_Well, we both don't have anyone to go with – and we've been best friends for so long, I think it would be nice, right?" Mio smiled, her blush seeming to lessen as she asked. Ritsu mentally sighed with relief – there was enough going in her life, those kind of thoughts and feelings would confuse her even more._

When Ritsu had found herself agreeing, they talked about nothing in particular, just small conversation – Ritsu wanted to talk to her about Nawakara, she had even tried to – but she realised then that it was the complete wrong time. She couldn't ruin their last moments of having fun as a school just because of him, so she had dropped the subject, and Mio was acting as if she was trying to forget. But Ritsu noticed her glancing with curious eyes at the brunette everytime there was a pause in the conversation.

Nothing different had occurred the two days after Mio asked her– Ritsu considered they both must off just fallen asleep after the exhaustion of the day.

She glanced over to the clock on her bedside table, scowling at it. It was 3:10am. So she hadn't managed to sleep again.

As she pondered her options – because she knew in her current state it would be both frustrating and agonising trying to shift Mio without a struggle – said girl shuffled on top of her, causing Ritsu to moan in pain.

"Ritsu?" She heard the girl's weak call, as Mio sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. Ritsu flushed a little, looking at Mio with prying eyes, curious to the explanation she would be given.

Mio blushed in response, noticing the curiosity immediately, "I must of dozed off..I...I'm sorry." This was the second time since Ritsu's injuries Mio had fallen asleep in her uniform, Ritsu hadn't the energy to make it to class, but the other's still had to go.

Ritsu grinned in her usual boyish way, shuffling up a little in the bed so she could rest her back on the wall, "So prom is in a few days, huh?" She teased, Mio caught on to her playing, her blush deepening.

"Wasn't there something you wanted to talk to me about before I asked?" There was a small smile on her lips, Ritsu found herself thinking it was slightly adorable the way Mio looked after she had just woken up – her hair messy and tangled, eyes half shut...She felt her cheeks heating up and wondered why she was putting so much thought into it.

"O-Oh! It's nothing, I just wanted to tell you not to worry yourself about me, and that I have an idea already about what to do for the performance." She had been thinking about it in tiny segments throughout two days after the incident – hoping that if she managed to get the opportunity she would ask Satoshi to fill in for her. She knew that Nawakara meant damage.

"Satoshi knows almost everything I know about drumming, and he could fill in for me," Her cheeks stopped burning when she felt the small sense of pride from giving her brother a talent, "Besides, he needs the social status that comes with it." She now laughed calmly – the shaking made her ribs ache a little, but she held down the splutter.

Mio smiled, looking relieved for some reason, "That would be great." She shuffled off the bed, glancing around the room.

"Do you think Azusa is back?"

"I haven't heard anyone come in since I woke up- she could be downstairs watching TV though, I guess." Ritsu shrugged casually, curiosity making her want to see if she was well enough to stand. She hated anything involving staying still for too long.

"Do you want me to get you some tea?" Mio smiled, unbuttoning and slipping off her blazer as she spoke – Ritsu then realised that Mio MUST of dozed off, because the raven-haired girl was too much of a cleanliness freak to willingly to go to sleep still clothed. For some reason she felt a little disappointed.

"I guess." She grinned against the disappointment, and as Mio left, she glanced around the room.

Ritsu sighed and looked around, slowly sliding her legs off the bed, she stood up. The world twisted in a haze of pain and lack of balance, her head ached, but she could stand. She couldn't feel any pain on her legs, but guessed it was because they only had minor cuts. Her eye was what hurt the most, as well as her head. She also noticed that her right wrist had completely numbed out.

She noticed a sling sitting on Mio's bedside table the second time she glanced at the clock, and decided to pull it over her shoulder with her left arm, slipping her right one in it – she felt more comfortable. Mio must off been intending to give her it when she fussed over her getting down the stairs.

_**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**_

_My breath is stuck even though I call your name (Oh)__  
__You don't seem to be able to hear me anymore__  
__I can't hold it in I need you in my life__  
__Can you hug me so that these tears will stop_

_**zZzZzZzZzZzZz**_

"Azusa-chan." Mio smiled when she noticed the twin-tailed girl fussing over the dinner table – setting up plates and cups. Azusa turned and looked a little startled when Mio walked through the door way into the kitchen – but as always, the rhythm guitarist was quick to cover her little girly moments.

"Mio-senpai!" She smiled genuinely, "Yui-senpai and Ui are coming over to visit Ritsu-senpai. And Mugi-senpai is going to see if she can make it."

"Ah," Mio smiled back politely, "So we're all going to eat together?" She questioned, taking some of the cutlery out of Azusa's hands, helping her set the table.

"I thought it would be nice, and maybe it would make Ritsu-senpai feel better. The prom is in a couple of days too, so I guess we won't all be together again until then. Oh and senpai, your parents left you a letter saying that they're away on another business trip – it'll last 12 weeks, apparently."

"Ah, I see. Well at least that means there won't be a fuss for prom." She smiled – guiltily she admitted, this made things so much easier.

"That's true – you're one of the lucky ones-" Mio cut her off mid-sentence.

"Azusa. You know you're an asset to this club."

Azusa looked shocked, almost dropping one of the glasses that she placed on the table.

"Wh-why are you saying that all of a sudden senpai?" She was blushing a little, but seemed to radiate in the compliment.

Mio smiled and shook her head, "Just remember that we're all best friends."

Before Azusa could ask anything else, there was a knock at the door and the loud sound of Yui Hirasawa's voice shouting, "AZU-NYAN OPEN UP!"

xXx

Dinner had flown by faster than Mio expected, Ritsu gulped down ice cream like there was no tomorrow when it got to time for pudding. She had refused it – still watching her diet. Mio wished she had the confidence to look so content all the time like Ritsu did.

Ui and Mugi had fussed over the bandages and eye patch on Ritsu, but she had shrugged off the comments, telling them that it was no big deal – even though the few times Yui gave her comforting hugs Mio had noticed the drummer flinch visibly, and bite back what would probably be groans of pain.

Ritsu always over-worked, but when they had said goodbye to Ui, Yui, and Mugi, with no serious conversation at all over dinner – just jokes and random stories. Mio found herself trying to coax Ritsu into the bathroom.

"Ritsu! Will you just co-operate? We need to get you cleaned up and replace your bandages again. The doctor said you might still bleed for a few days." Mio growled, blocking the door-way to the bedroom so Ritsu couldn't seal herself in.

"I don't want to! It hurts all over!" Ritsu whined, making everything more dramatic than it needed to be – but on the other hand Mio allowed her to, she couldn't imagine what it felt like to be that sore all over.

"Senpai! Please just do it! We'll be careful." Azusa pleaded, blocking the door-way to the office so Ritsu couldn't seal herself in their either – The only two other rooms were the bathroom, and Mio's parents bedroom – she knew Ritsu wouldn't go in there, the drummer may not have many respects, but she knew not to go into an adult's room.

"Aghhh! Fine. Whatever. But if you guys make me cry I'm not even going to bother attending prom." She glowered, Mio felt a pang of nervousness when she said that – almost believing Ritsu wouldn't show. But somehow she knew she would. Everytime Mio was in front of a crowd – Ritsu would always be there.

Ritsu slowly walked into the bathroom, Mio followed her and entered, but Azusa stood at the door. "Mmm, I'll get all of the bandages set out for when you're done." She smiled lightly, obviously not feeling comfortable with the idea of washing the drummer.

Mio flushed – could she really handle being alone with a naked Ritsu?

"T-Thanks Azusa." She smiled, trying not to blush and give herself away, she closed the door behind her.

"Ne, Mio?" Ritsu looked at her as she began to remove the plain white tank top, lifting her injured arm slowly in the air, Mio felt her eyes changing gaze, looking at everything in the room, searching for a distraction...Anything but Ritsu.

"What is it?" She asked, focusing on reading some of her mother's shampoo bottles to ease her nerves.

"My mom kicked me out because I came home with a suit – I mean, I know as well as you do that she should of expected it, and she never normally reacts as bad as she did but...She tried to tell me that I was...I don't know if I caught it right but. She tried to tell me I was gay." Ritsu finally finished, Mio heard her bra unclasp.

"W-Why would she ask that?" She questioned, screwing her eyes up as she focused more on the bottle, finding it _oh-so hard _not to panic.

"I think she thinks we're...together." Ritsu's uncertainty was clear in her voice, the awkwardness mixed with the pang of guilt in the air – Mio felt as if it was her that was making Ritsu suffer all of these things – like somehow her unconscious mind was being read by everyone.

"She doesn't have a reason to think that." Mio answered coolly.

"That's what I was thinking – But that's not really it. When I was getting...mugged, they tried to say I was gay too." Mio heard clothes fall to the floor, and Ritsu popping one of the buttons on her shorts open, then another...

"Maybe it's just the way you act. You're a tom-boy, so I'm sure people are going to suspect you're gay if you don't change that as you get older. A few girls in our school...have a crush on you," Mio flushed, holding back the urge to duck her head in embarrassment, "because you can act so much like a boy but...Being a girl – you act as if you know exactly what they want in a boy."

She heard more material hit the floor.

"Do you think I should change, Mio?"

"No. I think you should stay the way you are...There's nothing wrong with gay people, Ritsu." Mio smiled, now staring at the ground in disgust with herself – was she trying to start convincing her?

"I'm ready now, Mio."

Mio blushed deeply, head snapping towards Ritsu's back, "W-What?"

"...For the shower, right?" She could hear the grin in Ritsu's words.

"O-Oh..." Mio mumbled dumbly, pushing herself up from her leaning position against the door, walking over to the shower as she switched it on, holding her hand over the sprinkling water until she felt it turn a decently warm temperature.

"You honestly have so much confidence." Mio sighed as Ritsu climbed into the bath tub – Mio still expertly avoiding looking at her best friend's naked body. Not that she hadn't seen it before but – She felt as if she would lose control if she saw it now.

"What do you mean?" Ritsu sat in the middle of the tub, legs tucked up to her chest so most of her body was covered, since Mio was facing her back. The raven-haired girl was still fully clothed, and had to lean over the side of the bath to reach her, so she pulled the shower head off the stand, giving it to Ritsu to hold while she rubbed shampoo into the drummer's scalp. Ritsu's eye patch was plastic, and she only had water-proof stitches on her forehead – so it was wasn't going to turn into a mess.

"You get mugged, you lose your ability to perform for prom – the only reason you were going to go – you get kicked out of your home, and you still act like nothing is bad in the world." Mio sighed at the end of her sentence.

"You know me Mio," Ritsu had a gleeful tone in her stride, "No matter what's happened I'm _always _ there to protect you...To protect everyone. I can't think about things that will get me down because there's not enough time in the world to think about them. I'm going to prom because I've always been there for you when you're afraid of being in front of a crowd, and I'm going to make sure that you make the most out of the performance...I still think you're the most talented girl I've ever met."

_Was that a hinted confession, or was she just being nice? _

"Ritsu, you're..."

XxXxXEND

_A/N; This chapter is just a little MioxRitsu banter, to fill in sometime between the Prom and Ritsu's healing – so we'll finally be seeing the prom part 1 next chapter! Please stay tuned for Chapter 4 will finally have that confession we've all been waiting for! If anything seems out of place it's because this chapter isn't anything serious, and my focus is on the next part- which may take me even longer to write – so I am sorry. I'm just so busy._

_Songs: _

_Entrust – INFINITE (Korean)_

_MBLAQ – Cry (Korean) _


	4. The Prom Pt1!

**Mio x Ritsu**

'**Mio and Juritsu**

_Sorry for YET another delay guys. . This chapter is something more special though – deeming part one of the two-part prom climax, starting the beginning of the end for the couple. I lost my notes somewhere in one of my bags since my mom has re-decorated while I was staying at my girlfriend's, so I'm going to have to wing this one. I do apologize for mistakes. I also just wrote this after having my vaccination today, so I'm a little weary, expect stupid mistakes. _

_**ZzZzZ**_

**Break a sweat desperate lover**

**Do you feel all alone? **

**ZzZzZ**

**The time everyone has been waiting for! The beginning of the prom!**

"Miooo? Azusa?" Ritsu whined, hobbling over to the door frame she peered around it with one half closed eye, moaning in irritation when the raven-haired girls didn't reply once more.

'_So they're not down here either?' _Ritsu sighed inwardly, walking slowly into the kitchen. It felt weird being alone after a whole week of waking up and going to bed with someone right beside you – although Ritsu would hate to think she was becoming that in need of attention.

With calm hands she poured herself a glass of ice-cold orange juice and kicked the fridge door shut after she placed the carton back in, then she moved over to the kitchen table, slumping down, staring dully out one of the kitchen windows.

'_That's right, they'll be practising for tonight...' _

Tonight.

Ritsu felt a pang of nervousness, and millions of mixed emotions flow over her. She felt jealous of Satoshi being in her place, but also felt proud for him being her brother and able to step up to the mark. She felt slightly uneasy about going to the prom with her best friend after Nawakara and her mother shouting abuse at her for the one thing it would look like she was doing.

She realised that unless she found a new group to go with, she was going to end up walking into prom alone.

The drummer sipped at her orange juice, now blanking any thoughts from her mind – when she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

Blinking a few times, as if she had lost herself in nothingness, she pulled the phone out and flipped it open, pressing the receive button when she realised it was a call.

"Hello?" She noticed it was Ui Hirasawa's voice.

"Yo, Ui." She grinned smugly, an idea forming in her mind already – was it that coincidental?

"Neechan said that I should come over and make sure you get properly dressed for the prom, since they won't be able to have time for a break." There was a slight cheeky tone in that voice Ritsu noticed, she scowled.

"Oi! I'm not invalid you know! Besides, don't you have your own group you'll need to meet up with? That, and it's pretty early you know, prom's not for another couple of hours."

"Jun is just going to meet me inside with our dates, and I realised when I was talking to neechan that you won't have anyone to travel which – and that's pretty dangerous in your...state."

"..." Ritsu didn't reply, unsure of what to say.

"...I have the new Dead Space."

"Well why the hell are you takin' so long!" Ritsu grinned, finally perking up. It had been really fun the first time they had played a game together – and since this was the sequel to said game, she knew it would bring back good memories- just the thing to make her feel better.

_**ZzZzZ**_

**You're not the answer I should know**

**Like all the boys before, like all the boys before**

_**ZzZzZ**_

The drummer drank lemon tea throughout the warm evening as they both jumped and exclaimed shock once too often at the game they were currently playing. Ritsu couldn't think of a time when everything felt so...normal. Until now.

Mio had been acting off with her the past week – and Azusa was almost jumping out of her skin every time Ritsu spoke. She felt as if she had done something to upset them...Maybe she did look like trouble.

She sighed, turning to Ui who had took over after Ritsu had died (since they were taking it in turns), the younger Hirasawa wasn't even breaking a sweat, yet Ritsu was slightly shivering.

"Ui. Do you think I'm trouble?" She questioned.

Ui held a slightly triumphant smile as she began to adjust to the game, but she still listened to Ritsu.

"I don't think that you're trouble – I just think Mio-chan is worried about you, and well, you know what Azusa-chan is like. She can't handle any mood." She giggled, Ritsu noticed her warm smile.

"Mio-chan's been so strange with me lately, and I don't know it's like...She's hiding something from me. She won't laugh as much and she kept grumbling to herself, and if I woke up late through the night, she would always still be awake. I don't want it to ruin tonight's performance."

"It's not like you to worry, Ritsu-chan. You have to go tonight as yourself, or you'll regret it, you know you will. There won't be another party like this, and everyone wants to see the Tainaka we've grown so fond of these past couple of years."

Ritsu smiled, hearing the first load of sense that made her want to jump for joy.

"Maybe we should start getting prepared now – it is almost 6pm and I'm gonna have to replace these bandages before I get my suit on – that and I'll need to help you with your dress too."

Ui giggled, quickly saving the game. "I didn't know you knew anything about make-up and dresses Ritsu-chan." She smirked slightly mischievously – it reminded Ritsu of Yui.

"O-Of course I do! I am a girl after all." She pouted, clambering to her feet and heading in the direction of the stairs.

xXx

"Wow! I might have to start calling you Ri-kun from now on." Ui laughed, an admiring look on her face when Ritsu wandered into Mio's bedroom dressed in her white suit, she flashed a Cheshire grin at the younger Hirasawa, feeling quite good about herself. Knowing that Nawakara definitely wouldn't like this.

"What do you think, Ritsu-chan~?" Ui asked, smiling sweetly as she straightened out the yellow slightly poofy dress that she was wearing, a matching yellow hair band in her hair. Although she currently had her fringe clipped back.

"So you really do want help with your make-up, huh?" Ritsu grumbled, wandering over to Mio's large bedroom mirror that Ui sat at. Ui had already prepared her own make-up on the top of Mio's dresser drawers, so Ritsu just had to improvise. She didn't wear make-up, she wasn't even wearing any right now. But she had seen Mio put on make-up a lot, so she would have to remember from comparison.

It was going relatively well as she sifted through one layer of foundation on the young Hirasawa's face- she wouldn't need any more of that because her skin was clear anyway, it was just to match the eye make-up she was going to do. Although Ritsu was getting slightly agitated by her hair on her face – since she had decided to leave the hair band out of tonight.

It took about a good hour to finish the liquid black eye-liner perfectly and make Ui look adorable and not like a hooker – and the mascara looked decent. Placing a small hint of lip gloss on her, Ritsu thought she had done a decent job, and they were preparing to leave already.

Ritsu stuffed her pockets with money, and found herself slipping her cell phone into her pants pocket – somehow she sensed trouble out of tonight – and this time she would have evidence to put Nawakara behind bars.

Ui packed her hand bag with a bottle of water, and Ritsu scolded her for having her purse at the top in such an easy reach for pick-pockets. After re-packing her hand bag, they left the Akiyama household, locking the front door behind them, heading off to the prom.

"What do you think the new song will sound like?" Ui asked, a cheerful expression on her face as she practically bounced across the foot-patch towards the train station. Ritsu smiled, pushing her bangs over the eye-patch on her left eye – thankful that she got to wear a suit that covered up the other bandages and plasters rather than her school uniform. She fumbled in her pocket for some spare change for the train for her and Ui.

"It'll probably be some kinda romantic song knowing Mio's passion for love. Especially since it's prom but..." Ritsu sighed, looking up at the darkening sky.

"You're upset because she didn't find a date, huh?" That was right, Ui didn't know Mio had asked her, no-one did.

"Yeah. I just think she deserves a really nice guy that knows how to make her smile, and will treat her right. She needs someone cheerful to keep her positive and confident, but I just can't find anyone like that for her." She let out a heavy sigh, feeling exasperated from the conversation already.

"She needs someone like you, don't you think?" Ui smiled as they reached the station, smoothly taking the spare change Ritsu held out dumbly, a confused expression on the tawny-haired girl's face.

"What are you talking about? I'm sure Mio doesn't swing that way. Her parents are WAY too up-tight to let her have thoughts like that." Ritsu frowned, paying for her own ticket in the booth next to Ui.

"What about your feelings, Ritsu-chan?" Ui smiled sweetly as they climbed the stairs to the first platform – getting stared at by the older people around them. Ritsu could hear them muttering and groaned. She was getting really tired of people noticing her now – and at one point she would of loved it.

"I've never thought about my feelings before, Ui. Everyone's always came before that. I've never dated anyone anyway..." Ritsu trailed off, mind in thought as she stared blankly at the sign indicating their train would arrive at any minute. She had no idea what to think. Her mind started swimming with things she didn't even understand. Thoughts and feelings she had never considered before. What was it even like to love someone?

Did she love Mio? Was that why she agreed to Prom? Agreed to anything Mio ever asked? Accepted her beatings gleefully and never got annoyed? Got so jealous when she hung around with Nadoka?

She felt an on-coming headache and pain clench in her chest. What did she feel? What did Mio feel?

"I think you should figure yourself out. The nice think about my nee-chan is that she's so honest no matter what, that she really knows herself more than she thinks and...You could be the same, you know?"

Ritsu nodded mutely, and their train arrived at the station.

_**ZzZzZ**_

I know you want me  
I made it obvious that I want you too  
So put it on me  
Let's remove the space between me and you

_**ZzZzZ**_

"You guys look amazing!" Jun half complimented and half pouted as she jogged over to the pair. Ritsu almost fell over laughing when she realised it was none other than Satoshi who was standing by her side.

He blushed madly when he saw Ritsu, and frowned at his older sister with a cute, child-ish pout.

"You haven't got in contact since you left!"

"You do know it's only been a week." Ritsu teased, pinching his cheeks with a smug grin.

They laughed together, with Jun and Ui smiling at them in what looked like relieved expressions. Ritsu noticed that everyone must of been told she wasn't acting like the same old Ritsu.

"Hey you better treat her right." Ritsu smiled honestly this time, patting her little brother on their back as the group headed towards the doors for the main hall.

"Of course I will, I'm lucky y'know!" He grinned boy-ishly, a grin that looked so much like Ritsu's they were almost identical for a second. Making Jun and Ui giggle.

"Well at least I taught you somethin'." Ritsu smirked, slipping through the doors, followed by the others.

Her jaw almost dropped.

They really had out-done themselves. Long tables were placed in lines at one side of the huge hall, covered with huge white mats, and beautiful royal-red place mats. Glasses placed next to each empty glistening plate. People talked in small groups, a small group of them joking around on the dance floor with their friends and partners. A buffet was placed in one of the corners with delicious smelling foods, matching their attractive smell in their looks. But Ritsu's eyes were more focused on the stage.

"Why are you not practising with them right now?" She asked, glancing at her brother.

"We got told we might as well stop when they open the doors, and go to see friends or partners because it would ruin the surprise if they could hear us practise, idiot!" He grinned, nudging her back.

"Ahh y-yeah I guess that's true but..." A pang of loneliness hit her. Then why wasn't Mio looking for her?

"Ritsu. I-I'm glad you came..."

A few muttering voices fell silent as Ritsu swerved around to look at her partner, her jaw dropping for the second time that evening as girls giggled in the background, boys muttering.

"M-Mio?" She asked dumbly, her one eye tracing every detail of Mio's black dress that clung to her curves so perfectly. Small silver sequences lined the area of her chest, and she wore a silver necklace with a small heart on it. Her nails painted black. Ritsu's biggest shock was the black high heels Mio wore to match. Her hair pulled over one shoulder, make-up like a super model.

She wasn't sure what to say, and felt her cheeks flaring up for reasons she couldn't comprehend at all. She felt dizzy, lost...

"U-Um...Ritsu? Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face...?"

"You look perfect." Ritsu blurted out, quickly clamping a hand over her mouth to shut herself up.

"W...What? Don't play games, I tried really hard-"

"I-I'm not...playing games Mio. Really, I think you-"

"Will Ho-Kago Tea Time please make their way to the stage." Mio could of killed the announcer.

XxX

After the short introduction speech from their head master, everyone stood around the dance hall in anticipation as the band members – and Satoshi, got prepared with their instruments. They all looked amazing – not that Ritsu was paying much attention to them...Mainly all she could do was stare blankly at Mio and wonder why she was doing so. Getting jolts of anger each time someone complimented her.

She felt someone touch her shoulder.

"It's a shame we couldn't get to the front in time, there's so many people..." Ui pouted, Ritsu noticed that she was watching her sister with a proud look in her eyes. She smiled.

"At least we still have a decent view."

"Hello everyone," Mio's soft, velvet voice took the crowd over, and Ritsu noticed that something was strange, Mio was doing the MC this time.

"I'm taking over the MC this time from Yui if you all don't mind. I spent a long time writing this song, and I really think that in a way, we can all relate to it. We've all seen prom in the movies, the perfect and the worst dates. And I think tonight, some people will really get what they've always dreamed for. And this is a song for them...And...A song from my heart." A blush covered her cheeks, making the crowd go wild. Girls noticeably tearing up at the soft words coming from the bassist's mouth.

Panic filled Ritsu's body. Nawakara? Where was he...

The music began to play, Yui's perfect guitar fingering, Azusa and Mio filling in the space elegantly. Satoshi keeping the rhythm in a way that made the crowd cheer – especially his class mates. Mugi looking all too womanly on the keyboard.

"**No matter how cold it is, I'm happy**

**Watching your white breath as you spring into a run."**

Ritsu chuckled, typical Mio, the lyrics puzzled her. What did winter have to do with prom?

"**Your hairstyle really suits you**

**But I want to see how you look with your bangs down."**

"There's so many people here boss, do you really think we'll get away with this?" a boy mumbled, sifting with Nawakara through the crowd.

"It doesn't matter, in the dark, no-one will be able to work out a thing." He grinned. A blonde haired boy held scissors between the electricity box wires.

"Just say the word boss."

"Do it."

"**I wonder what I should say**

**Is "I love you" a good way to start?**

**The fluttering snow is like my dancing feelings**

**And somehow I'm happy**

**On this vivid white, shining road**

**I want to walk with you; it would be okay if we held hands**

**Your mischievous smile really suits you**

**But I also want to see your shy, blushing face."**

"I always get what I want."

The room filled with darkness.

_Bang, bang, bang._

"Mio! _Mio_!"


	5. Breakeven

**Mio x Ritsu**

'**Mio and Juritsu**

_A/N; I have to give you guys a warning now that there is going angst in this chapter, as well as more violence. And in the next chapter, (as a forewarning) there will be smut. _

**Breakeven**

_**ZzZzZ**_

_**What am I supposed to do**_

_**When the best part of me, was always you? **_

_**ZzZzZ**_

"I will get your friends to safety." Ritsu noticed Chika's voice in the darkness, and felt cold hands clasp her own, slipping a rounded object into her hands.

Ritsu knew it was hopeless to argue. A small flicker of light sprung to life, laminating her face, and letting her see Chika's own in the shadows. He looked distraught, but was keeping his cool. She had to do the same.

"You know what they're going to do, don't you?" He asked, as Ritsu fumbled with her own torch, until Chika flicked the switch for her.

"O-Of course!" She snapped, guilt washing over her.

"Go find Akiyama. God knows who he shot."

She felt like she wanted to cry, scream, do anything. But she couldn't and she hated the fact she had to agree with something that her gut didn't want her to do. But her heart selfishly wanted to do this more than anything.

"Please make sure they're okay." She mumbled, feeling all of her pride slowly crawl under a rock somewhere – she wasn't anything like herself at this point, and it crushed her.

She took off though, shoving through crowds, bowing her head so she couldn't make guilty eye contact with anyone she knew, and hoped that no-one would notice her either. The thing that made her feel this was right was that Mio was the one they were after, not anyone else. And that shot...That shot was burning in the back of her mind, killing her inwardly.

'_I'm so sorry, Mio. I had no idea...' _

The guilt towards Nawakara doing this wasn't the only thing that burned in the tawny-haired girl's mind. The other thing that kept her head pounding was that those lyrics were about her. This whole thing wasn't just because of her turning down Nawakara. Mio was in love with her, and she hadn't taken any notice.

Her feet were feeling more heavy every time they made contact with the ground as she ran, the flashlight shaking in her hands, causing some people to cry out, and she heard shouting from all around her.

'_How long has she felt like this...?_ _Was I hurting her as much as Nawakara, or more?'_

Her eyes followed the torch all around her as she ran, and she couldn't see a glimpse of Mio, she couldn't even see a glimpse of anyone from the band.

'_They've either moved to a safer place, or they're doing the same as me...Mio...Please be safe.' _

She couldn't figure out her feelings. Her head was reeling from the pain of aching, already injured limbs, panic was making her feel dizzy, and she was running out of breath way to fast.

The flashlight fell from her hands, dropping with a clang to the floor, which caused a split second of silence in places. Her hands pulled down desperately on the door-knob, and she threw herself into the corridor behind the stage.

"M-Mio!"

A short-lived relief washed over her, and she collapsed onto her knees in front of her best friend.

"I-I'm sorry..." Ritsu cried, using her last strength to lift her head, tears streaming from her eyes to lock with the dark, terrified orbs that belonged to Mio.

"I'm sorry that I didn't realise sooner. I...I-"

Mio reached down as everything went black.

**ZzZzZ**

_**You said you always keep your word**__**  
**__**Show me what you're after**__**  
**__**I thought you promised me the world**__**  
**__**Tell me what you're after.**_

**ZzZzZ**

"P-Push harder!" Satoshi shouted, desperation filling his voice as he slammed his aching shoulder against the metallic fire-escape door once more. Alongside a few other boys from his school, and some of the girls. One of which was a determined Yui Hirasawa.

Another shot was heard, alongside more screaming, and that had to be the 6th one that night now. They were looking for someone...surely.

Satoshi's mind clicked as he finally broke through the door, tumbling over onto the pavement outside, landing hard on his knees.

They were looking for Ritsu...

He had lost his sister when the lights went out. An upperclassman had told him that he had seen Ritsu, and that she was fine. And then said that he told her that he would help them escape the building.

Ui and Jun had managed to pull the fire escape switch, which would trigger in the fire department, and make them immediately on call. It made Satoshi glad of the law for once – at least in that they weren't oblivious. They had to show up as soon as possible for a school building for obvious reasons; the children were told they were the heart and soul of the country.

He noticed a hand held out to him, it was Tsumugi Kotobuki, "We'll just have to get to the closest, safest place and then figure out who's missing."

There was a determined glint in her eye that made him smile, and he took her hand. Without a word they began to run.

Jun was dragging Ui along behind her, who wouldn't stop looking back at the school building. They hadn't the time to realise why until they found the most local café. It was a few estates up from the school, quite posh and expensive, but they hoped on a whim the owner wouldn't be stuck-up enough to turn them down for a place to stay until the police arrived.

They burst into the café doors, Satoshi cringed as the wind chimes fell from the top of the door, and customers stood up from their seats, a woman crying out in shock at the state of the ex-prom goers.

"Please let us stay here, outside isn't safe!" Yui Hirasawa bowed.

It was strange, and quite horrible to see the friends of Ritsu look so serious. They always relaxed and had fun, but not tonight.

He had always wanted to see that side of them, but not like this. He respected them as musicians, but hearing their half-dead voices hurt him deep, and he wanted to see his sister safe.

XxX

The owner was an old-woman, with greying hair. She was quite short, and held her arm up, offering a pale white phone to a fidgeting Yui, whom Satoshi had noticed was glancing around the group continuously, each time looking more frustrated, as Ui held her arm.

As she typed in the numbers in a rush, having to delete them multiple times because she had panicked and entered extra keys, she managed to contact the police.

While she explained the situation, walking into the back room, the old woman ushered her customers out of the doors, as some of the students that had escaped with them apologised for all of the trouble they were causing.

The old woman seemed to take a light shoulder to their sudden entrance, and smiled it off. Changing over the sign on the door from 'open', to 'closed.'

As people began to sit down, contacting parents and other people, talking, crying, amongst themselves, Satoshi looked for familiar faces. Feeling his own panic fleeting in the pit of his stomach.

A few people from the year under him in his school were there, a few girl's from other schools too. Jun Suzuki, Ui Hirasawa, Yui Hirasawa, Kotobuki Tsumugi...No Azusa or Mio.

He sighed to himself in frustration.

Why did his sister want to do so much for one girl?

**ZzZzZ**

_**When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears**_

_**When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears**_

_**And I held your hand through all of these years**_

_**But you still have, all of me.**_

**ZzZzZ**

"M-Mio! Mio?" Ritsu suddenly jolted upright, making the raven-haired girl yelp in surprise.

"I-Idiot! Calm down, I'm right here!" She said, her cheeks flushed.

Ritsu squinted, looking around the almost pitch black room. Cardboard boxes were piled up behind a row of shelves next to Ritsu, a few chairs and others things were propped up against the door. Ritsu realised they were in one of the school's storage closets.

"It's not over, is it?" Ritsu mumbled.

"Ritsu. You have to tell me if you know anything about what's going on. Is this a personal attack on you? What have you done...Oh god..Was it when you got attacked?" Mio's eyes widened.

"No, i-it's not about...Me, Mio."

Ritsu knew that she was smart enough to notice the pause in Ritsu's sentence, she inwardly sighed.

"Will you please just tell me! We're supposed to be best friends, Ritsu."

"O-Okay, okay. Do you remember when we were all in kindergarten, there was a guy called Nawakara? Well, we used to play together until he met Satoshi. When he met Satoshi, a lot of things changed and Satoshi grew distant, and Nawakara grew vicious. I found out that he'd been bullying Satoshi into doing things for him, and giving him things. Just like his father did to get money. Eventually he brought me into it, and when we all went into middle school, he kept saying he loved me. He started to bully me into stealing things for him, and made me stay around him whenever he got the opportunity. He always found you in the way Mio. Always. Me and you were best friends after all, and he wanted me to himself. Eventually when our families had their feud, he backed off entirely, but now he's back. And for some reason he dislikes you now more than he ever has." Ritsu didn't know where to look as she spoke, her eye not even focusing its view on anything in particular, just skimming the room, guilt washing over her.

"Why didn't you tell me at the time?" Mio questioned, looking as if she was about to cry. Ritsu couldn't help but stare at her face now.

"Enough was already happening between our families, and I thought that...I thought they would take you away from me if I got into any more trouble. So keeping it a secret meant they had no way to say you were getting involved with me, even if they did find out what was going on." She looked pleadingly, hoping the raven-haired girl would throw her a life-line. She didn't have the energy to argue anymore.

"Y-You're such an idiot!" She shouted, but her voice was shaky as tears streamed down her pale face, smudging her make-up that looked oh-so-perfect earlier.

She couldn't help herself, one hand reaching out unconsciously to her face.

Mio froze, and so did Ritsu.

"There's something you're hiding from me too though, Mio. You and Azusa are hiding something. Those lyrics, the way you've been acting, the way you're being shifty. Even Azusa knows there's something, and I bet she knows for sure what it is, but I don't." Her thumb brushed some of the tears away, "Please tell me Mio."

"Please don't hate me, Ritsu." Her voice cracked as she cried more, but Ritsu wouldn't back down this time. She _needed _to know.

"I could never hate you, idiot." She smiled warmly.

"I...I'm...I'm in love with you. I'm sorry, I know this will kill your trust of me, maybe you think I'm sick or a pervert but...I'm in love with you, Ritsu. I don't know how long for, but I can't keep resisting it when you're always there. _Always. _You do so many little things that make me want to wrap you up in my arms. I can't let go of you Ritsu and I can't ever lose you. You really are...You really are everything to me." Her words were quick, and some stumbled as she spoke due to her hiccups and her crying. But Ritsu couldn't really tell. She processed the words over and over in her head, and memories flooded back all too quickly.

She did everything she could for Mio, she really did.

Only a few years ago she would wrap Mio up in her blanket, and sleep on the floor so the raven-haired girl could have her bed after they watched horror movies. Ritsu would sit up until Mio fell asleep just so the older girl wouldn't be afraid. She convinced Mio to enjoy herself with music, learned drums because drums and bass were in harmony with each other. Knew each other inside out, just like they did.

She would constantly pester the bassist, making fun of her, bullying her for how easily frightened she was. Sometimes she would irritate Mio just to get her attention. All of this time she thought it was just a friendship thing, and even the past week she had began to think that Mio was crazy because Ritsu had suspected Mio was starting to like her.

The drummer didn't want to be vain about it, but when Mio had crushes, she had a hard time hiding it.

No wonder her mother and Nawakara had acted so angry about something she hadn't even realised. And she couldn't help herself expressing just that. About to throw herself head-first into another disaster.

"I love you too." She blushed, eyes nervously staring into Mio's now, serious dark orbs.

"I hope you understand I don't mean like a sister or a best friend, Ritsu..." Her crying had stopped. She looked almost...agitated.

"I-I do understand." She mumbled.

Mio leant in closer to her, her head tilting just a little as her lips just brushed Ritsu's as she spoke, "I'm so sorry that you have to feel like this...I just, I can't resist you, Ritsu. I-I...I selfishly want to get sent down to hell, as long as you're by my side. It's...It's all I live for now."

Ritsu would of answered, 'me too.' But Mio's warm, quivering lips covered her own. Her mouth was nothing like Nawakara's. It was soft, sweet-tasting. Mio's lips were smooth, and for such a shy girl, she was already dominating the kiss.

Blushing, the drummer felt her hands slowly move up to Mio's shoulders, as the older girl had her arms either side of Ritsu's waist, holding herself over Ritsu's body with her hands.

"_This is the federal police! Drop your weapons and come out with your hands up!" _

Mio broke the connection. She was blushing now too.

They stared at each other for a few moments, trying to process what had just happened.

It wasn't the time to be enjoying a moment like this. Mio got what she wanted but she wouldn't indulge in the middle of a crisis.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" Mio asked, her blush still immanent on her cheeks. The question at hand caused Ritsu's own to flare back up again.

"Of course." Ritsu grinned, giving Mio a soft peck on the cheek.

"I wonder how long we've been in here..." Mio mumbled, more to herself than Ritsu.

"We need to get out of here and find the other's." Ritsu's eyes locked onto the blocked door. "We'll have to try and sneak out."

XxX

Unblocking the door had taken them quite a while, but they were in too much of a hurry to be generous with the school's supplies. They simply threw or pushed them out of the way. Waiting a few seconds, they finally slipped out of the door.

Starting to walk quietly, crouching. Ritsu noticed Mio glance back in the direction of the storage closet and smile slightly.

"Starting a shoot-out is really extreme, just for his obsession with you..." Mio whispered as they walked, turning the corridor to start down another. Heading in the direction of the stairs. They needed to get off the top floor.

"He was obsessive with everything he couldn't have, the longer he couldn't have it, the more extreme he became. They diagnosed him with something but I can't remember. He was probably just being attention-seeking anyway. But this..I just...I hope everyone's okay." She whispered back, a deep sadness in her tone.

"Tainaka!" Mio screeched, quickly clasping her hands over her mouth as she heard a male voice calling out to Ritsu.

Ritsu swerved around, squeezing Mio's hand that she hadn't noticed she'd been holding all that time. It was Chika Amano. And a group of other boys.

"There's something I think you need to hear. I think it's your friend...I'm not sure. Umm, would you mind if I asked my friend's to take Miss Akiyama back to her household? They'll make sure she stays safe and guard the doors."

Ritsu then realised that Amano must have his own gang. She scowled at leaving Mio in their hands, but had to agree.

"Mio, please go with them. I promise I'll stay safe, the police will have the building under control in no time. C-Call me if anything comes up." She looked apologetically, giving Mio a tight hug before they parted ways.

"Please, be careful." Mio whimpered.

XxX

They had escorted Mio down the stairs, and Ritsu knew nothing more. She felt irritated by being separated from her just moments after being with her.

But whoever she knew who was in there was her top priority. No more suffering.

"Here's the room." Chika mumbled, pressing his ear to an old classroom that the teachers hadn't bothered refurbishing – it was only used for filing old student's work.

Not being need to told what to do, she pressed her ear to the door to.

Panic hit her like a tidal wave.

Would this ever end!

She heard the terrified voice of her rhythm guitarist.

Nawakara had taken Azusa Nakano.

**ZzZzZ**

_**Blame the family, blame the bully**_

_**Blame it on me, maybe they needed to be wanted.**_

**ZzZzZ**

She crouched down next to a fallen filing cabinet in the shadows of the room. Amano was on the other side, Ritsu knew as they communicated by signalling with their shadows, instead of themselves.

Her eyes watched the twin-tailed girl sat on her knees in the middle of the room- sniffling and pleading with him, insisting that she wasn't Mio Akiyama.

No, Mio Akiyama was safe, and had been all that time.

"You really think you're playing us, don't you, Akiyama?" Nawakara grinned, shoving the rhythm guitarists shoulder, making the girl whimper in terror.

"C'mon Akiyama! Why do you think your love for Ritsu is more special than mine? Yours is sick and wrong, two girl's can't be together!"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Azusa shouted.

As Nawakara rose his fist, Ritsu finally stepped out of her hiding place, and into the dim light of the room.

"Her name is Azusa, not Mio. Believe me." Her voice was dead and emotionless, her one eye focused straight on Nawakara with the dirtiest look she could possibly give him. That made him more angry.

"Why won't you just give up and be mine, Tainaka? How many more people have to suffer for your selfish-ness? You can't be like this! It might be fine elsewhere but not here! This is MY part of Japan, and this place ain't gettin' filled with trash!" The glint of silver from behind his back was a jagged combat knife, Ritsu noticed it from some game or another she had played. Her eyes widened.

"I don't care if this girl ain't Akiyama! She's gonna die too!"

"I'm sorry, but Kurohana has become extremely out-dated. A little like your father." Amano brought the baseball bat down, hard, on Nawakara's head. And his body dropped, slipping into unconsciousness as Amano grabbed ahold of a whimpering, sniffling Azusa.

"Where are the rest of his gang?" Ritsu asked, wishing she had the time to soothe Azusa.

"They must off been holding up the police. We need to get out of here, I can't risk having myself caught."

"R-Ritsu-senpai...Thank you so much...And to your friend..." Ritsu smiled weakly, ruffling the girl's hair.

"_This is the federal police! Anyone left in the building please come out with your hands up!" _

"Let's go."

END!

XxX

A/n; _Man that took me forever to finish, but finally I'm going to let the couple have a bit of relaxation in the next chapter. But that doesn't mean all of the suspense is over! There's probably a lot of mistakes in here because I kept putting this off. Sorry in advance! _


	6. The Prom Pt2!

**Mio x Ritsu**

'**Mio and Juritsu**

_A/n; Smut warning. And an early update. Did I make you all proud? :3 This chapter might seem a little dull, I do apologise for that. More fan-service related stuff will be posted in the form of one-shots. The reason this is 'Pt2' is just because it has mention of the end of the prom. _

**Chapter 6 – The prom Pt2!**

_**ZzZzZ**_

_**You make the rain fall, **_

'_**Cause you're so beautiful that it's painful.**_

_**ZzZzZ**_

'_I can't believe it...' _Ritsu was still stunned as she walked quickly down the high-street towards Mio's house in the pouring rain that night. The night of the ruined prom.

Chika and Azusa had parted ways with her when Ritsu had decided to take the next turn in through the estates and go to see Mio. Chika said that he would catch her up later so that he could take Azusa to the Hirasawa household. He had to take his men back after all.

Everything that had happened was just so...Surreal. From the moment that the gun-shots were heard to the moment her best friend's lips met her own. None of this was meant to happen but...It fitted into place so well.

She wondered who the casualty was...But was relieved when Mugi had phoned Chika telling him that the band-mates, as well as Satoshi, Ui, Jun, and some others from Ritsu's class were safe. She was also weary that parents and adults had been around, it could of been anyone's family member...She felt sick.

But Mio's feelings...She returned them. Returned them completely without a second of doubt, and each time she thought about it on the way to Mio's house she still felt so sure, but knew that it would only add to the trouble.

As her shaking hands fumbled on the latch of the gate, she finally slipped into the garden, locking the gate behind her, she walked over to one of the boy's standing at the door. His brunette hair was soaked through by the rain, and he was visibly shivering.

"Thanks." She said, smiling an honest smile at the boy, who returned it in a slight tug of the lips.

"Is Amano-san okay?" He questioned, A few more of the boys approached her from left and right, she assumed they had been guarding the rest of the house.

"Yeah, he said he would meet you here but, if you want to go and find him, he's at the Hirasawa household."

"Oh." The boy looked surprised, and seemingly relieved, "Yui Hirasawa is a distant cousin of mine, I'm glad she's safe." He chuckled lightly, an air of ease in his tone, reminding Ritsu of Yui herself.

"A-Ah...She never spoke of other family members...Umm.." She felt a little awkward all of a sudden. It didn't feel right to be around another gang –a gang that a Hirasawa was in. A gang that was actually...Kind.

"I think I'm going to stay here, and Tatsuya can guard the other side of the house. It'll just be for tonight. Miss Akiyama is safe so please go and see to her." He bowed slightly, the same glint of kindness in his eyes that Yui held. He was almost her male double – despite him being much taller than Ritsu, and much more mature. Guessing that he had his own reasons for not visiting the household, she nodded and walked to the front door, pulling down the door handle, she stepped inside.

"Mio?" She questioned, pushing her soaked bangs off her face as she slipped her suit jacket off, hanging it on a coat stand.

"Ritsu?" The drummer wasn't sure where the sound came from, and she was suddenly taken off her feet, falling backwards onto the wooden floor, the bassist's arms wrapping around her so tightly she couldn't breathe.

"M-Mio-chan-" She wheezed, tugging at the girl's sleeves.

"W-What's took you so long? I've been so worried!" She cried, her face burying into Ritsu's chest, clutching her soaked clothing.

"I-I'm sorry," She continued to wheeze, "I-I can't breathe Mio-chuan.~"

"O-Oh!" Mio released her grip automatically, jumping to her feet.

Ritsu chuckled lightly, slowly standing up, rubbing the back of her head.

"Mio." Ritsu smiled, stepping closer to the raven-haired girl who was only dressed in a cream thigh-length woollen sweater.

"W-What is it?" Her cheeks started to tint red. This only made the tawny-haired girl enjoy it more, her hands slowly moving to Mio's waist, fingers splaying on her hips, she kissed Mio slowly, her head tilting ever so slightly, she pressed her chest to the bassist's.

Mio let out a soft whimper at the sudden contact, her own lips pressing eagerly back to the cold one's of the drummer. Her arms wrapped around Ritsu's shoulders, finger tips playing and tugging with the back of Ritsu's hair.

The kiss deepened, Ritsu sucking softly on Mio's lower lip, earning another whimper from her girlfriend, she felt her body moving without her brain telling it to. It was as if her heart had taken control, pushing Mio's back against the kitchen counter, she broke the kiss to trail soft kisses along Mio's jaw, biting her ear lobe softly.

"R-Ritsu." She whimpered, letting out a shaky breath when she felt Ritsu's own breath in her ear, making her back arch slightly off the counter.

Ritsu grunted in response, kissing down the girl's neck now, hands almost clawing at Mio's hips.

She wanted to touch, she wanted to _feel _everything that was oh-so-right about what they were doing.

"I love you..." Ritsu mumbled, her lips brushing Mio's soft skin.

"I-I love you too..." Mio's head tilted back submissively, eyes falling shut.

"I love you, I love you, I love you..." Ritsu smirked as Mio blushed deeply, she leant back up to kiss her. Her fingers trailed underneath the woollen material. Ritsu's stomach burned with desire.

**ZzZzZzZz**

_1 week later._

**ZzZzZzZz**

"I can't believe they're letting school start back up already." Ritsu grumbled, fumbling with the ribbon under her collar.

"Well, we only have a couple of exams left before we leave, so I guess they just want to get them out of the way." Mio smiled, giggling at Ritsu. The drummer always did have trouble with her bow-tying.

"It's been a nice week though." She shot a mischievous grin at Mio, finally managing to tie the ribbon into a decent bow.

Mio blushed, "I-It's been...different. I guess." She fumbled with the sleeves of her blazer.

Ritsu's grin turned into an admiring smile that made Mio's blush deepen. The drummer shouldered her school bag and walked over to the side of the bed Mio was sitting at, kissing the bassist softly on the forehead.

"You're so cute Mio-chuan.~" She slipped Mio her coy grin, causing the bassist to smile, despite her crimson cheeks. Mio looked more pleased than embarrassed with the compliment.

"Do you think they arrested him?" Mio asked, as they staffed their packed-lunch boxes into their bags before heading off out of the front door, Mio locking it behind them.

Ritsu shrugged absent-mindedly, for once Mio was glad to see that it didn't 'cause an almost depressed expression on the tawny-haired girl. Instead, Ritsu gave off more of an 'I don't care' expression.

"Unless he's wormed his way out of it, most likely." She smiled reassuringly at Mio.

The walk to the train station had been filled with whole-hearted jokes and compliments, but when they stood in the crowd waiting for the train to arrive to take them to school, they realised how incredibly awkward they now felt.

Students surrounded them as well as adults, and Ritsu couldn't help but have the paranoid feeling that someone was watching them, that someone...knew.

She felt extremely guilty for that night's fiasco in Mio's kitchen, and bit down on her bottom lip as she tried to resist staring at the bassist' face.

The whole week off school that was all she had done, and she wasn't happy about having to stop doing that just because she was in love with a girl.

"Mio." She said, stepping into the train when it arrived, sitting down at one of the back seats opposite her best friend, and now lover. Mio looked up at her from a magazine she had picked up on the seat next to her, and smiled softly.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice full of concern. Ritsu bit back a blush.

She leant forward, voice lowering as she spoke, "Do you think someone knows?" She questioned, her hazel eyes looked serious.

"I-I don't know." Mio looked extremely uncertain now, and Ritsu mentally scolded herself for now making Mio paranoid too.

"I'm sure they don't, I mean...We haven't told anyone and...No-one saw us." Ritsu felt uncertain herself, but she tried to use her best reassuring voice, trying to worm her way out of upsetting the raven-haired girl.

"Nothing will change my feelings, even if they do know." Mio whispered, a small smile returning back to her face.

Ritsu smiled back now, that made her feel so much easier. At least they wouldn't lose each other.

"Like-wise." She leant back in her char, eyes averting to the ceiling of the train as Mio went back to reading her magazine. Just like a normal day of going to school – or so everyone else would think.

'_But people sometimes say you can tell when two people are together...' _Ritsu thought to herself, chewing the inside of her cheek as she thought.

**ZzZzZ**

_**Check yes Juliet**_

_**Kill the limbo**_

_**I'll keep tossing rocks at your window**_

_**There's no turning back for us tonight.**_

**ZzZzZ**

"Wow, Ritsu-senpai is so handsome." A girl mumbled dreamily to her friend, her eyes watching Ritsu as the drummer walked through the hall-way, side-by-side with Mio.

"And Mio-senpai is so beautiful...They're like a Prince and Princess." Her friend giggled, her hand over her mouth.

Mio quirked an eyebrow but stared straight forward, normally they would get individual comments but never before had she been strung into the same sentence as Ritsu in well...a way like that.

"They could have been prom queen and king." A third person replied, and all of the girls squealed a little.

Mio looked over to Ritsu, frowning.

Ritsu smiled sheepishly back, rubbing the back of her neck, "You can't help the opinion of the public." She chuckled.

The bassist rolled her eyes and carried on staring straight forward, unable to help listening to all of the comments.

"_Wow, I wonder if they're dating! Ritsu-senpai seems like she'd be so romantic!" _

"_I wonder if Mio-senpai's song was about Ritsu-senpai! That's so cute!" _

"_I heard that Ritsu-senpai __**is **__gay, ugh." _

Mio felt as if she had been hit with a ton of bricks, and by the looks of it, Ritsu did too.

The pair of them stopped, looking at each other in silence. They had been used to getting compliments from admirer's for their talent, but a rumour like that had never happened, despite their close-ness before they got together. Even after the Romeo and Juliet play they had done.

"Let's just get to class; you don't have to answer to anything unless you get confronted, right?" Mio tried her best to shake it off, but she still looked utterly terrified. What if their parents found out?

"Ritsu-senpai!" Ritsu blinked and swerved on her heel, happy to see that it was Azusa calling her name. She grinned and waved to the twin-tailed girl.

"Hey, Azusa chan," She said coolly.

"I-I, uhh...Thank you, for helping me." She smiled, looking up at Ritsu.

Ritsu puffed out her chest in sarcastic pride, pointing her thumb to her chest, "So do you still think I'm sketchy?"

"Yes." Azusa pouted, crossing her arms. Mio chuckled.

"I have to go and hand something into the office, Ritsu. I'll see you at class."

"Yeah." Ritsu smiled, waving off her secret lover. Mio gave her a sweet smile before turning away and continuing down the hall-way. The drummer felt slightly nervous as she realised that had caused more attention towards them.

"So, is Nawakara in jail?" She asked.

"Mugi-senpai says that her friend has been informed that he will be trialled." Azusa smiled.

"Better than nothing I guess." Ritsu smiled lightly. The crowds started to disperse as the school bell rang to symbol the start of the day. It was like being out of the fire and into the frying pan.

XxXClub Room!XxX

The day had went by swimmingly well, people stopped and stared occasionally but nobody had yet approached Ritsu, and Mio had said the same for herself.

They sat opposite each other at the table, arriving a couple of minutes earlier than the others so they could talk about it.

"When will we tell them?" Mio asked, watching Ritsu's fingers absent-mindedly as they tapped against the cold wood.

"I don't know." Ritsu sighed.

"Ricchan! Mio-chan~!" She felt herself jump slightly in her seat but she wasn't sure why. Surely their own friends couldn't hate them because of this.

Yui stumbled through the club room door, dragging Azusa along with her, who was pouting in irritation.

"Yui-senpai! Let go!" She whined, struggling against Yui's grip.

"Ah, Mio-chan, Ritsu-chan, you were already here?" Mugi smiled, clasping her hands together as she walked in after Yui and Azusa. They all took their seats at the table.

"Yeah." They both said in unison, quickly flinching and staring at each other.

Mio blushed, but that would off been typical anyway.

"I was just telling Ritsu about a new song idea we had been planning while she was staying with me last week."

Ritsu mentally sighed in relief.

"Oooh! Ricchan has ideas?" Yui grinned childishly, playing with Azusa's pig tails.

"O-Oi! Don't say that like it's a surprise!" Ritsu pouted, a small blush tinting her cheeks in embarrassment. For some reason she felt more of an idiot now that she was with Mio. Like she couldn't stand beside the bassist because of her immaturity.

"Congratulations." Mugi smiled, beginning to pour tea out for them all.

"Mio-senpai, Ritsu-senpai. Some of us have been talking and well...We want to know what's going on with you two." Azusa's eyes locked with Mio's.

_Could their relationship be revealed in such a short space of time?_

_XxX_

_To be continued! _


	7. Note!

Just a little note.

The reason I haven't posted in a while is because of MORE exams coming up. And I wasn't aware of half of them until last week.

I do really apologize for all of this, but my schedule is hectic because of them, so I've decided I'll post this little note to say when I'm going to be lagging in posts, so people don't think I've dropped this story. The reason I won't be updating this one in particular is because I'm working on improving and making it longer, without rushing it. So I do apologize, and will hopefully be posting one-shots and small stories other than this.

Next week:

Trial exams all week, that will help the teachers decide what we should sit in our final exams.

May: Convention at the end of May, might be able to throw in an update at the start, but very busy with preparations.

June: Final second last year exams.

September: Final year of school.

October: Another convention!

November: Work experience.

I'm also working on a small Mitsu comic that I'm really tempted to scan, edit, and upload somewhere.


End file.
